Case Study
Increased productivity boosts return on CAD investment
Gustavsberg Vårgårda Armatur
CAD system's ease of use and affordability resulted in expanded usage, multiplying benefits company-wide
Classical craftsmanship in modern form
Gustavsberg AB is part of the Villeroy & Boch Group, one of Europe’s largest manufacturers of bathroom products. Gustavsberg has a long tradition as a manufacturer of these products. The company began manufacturing porcelain in 1825 and established its first factory for sanitary ware and bathtub production in the 1940s. Today Gustavsberg is one of the leading manufacturers of bathroom and plumbing products in Sweden. Since its foundation, Gustavsberg’s philosophy has been high quality, good design and innovative solutions.
Say “Gustavsberg” and most people think of toilets, bathtubs and sinks. In Vårgårda, however, the company’s Gustavsberg Vårgårda Armatur division deals with other parts of the bathroom: faucets, pipe fittings and valves. This division began manufacturing mixer taps in 1920 and today has 200 employees and annual sales of approximately SEK 270 million (US $35 million). It manufactures approximately 450,000 faucets and seven million fittings and valves a year.
More momentum with Solid Edge
In the past, product designers at Gustavsberg Vårgårda Armatur struggled with a complex CAD system. Because the system was so difficult to use, it slowed the product development process. This prompted management to replace the system with Solid Edge for the entire product development and production process. The difference in productivity after the implementation of Solid Edge was readily apparent. “Solid Edge has clearly had a positive impact on productivity,” says Lars Nothall, technical manager at Gustavsberg Vårgårda Armatur.
For Nothall, Solid Edge’s greatest strengths are its simplicity and its interface. He appreciates its logical structure. “Solid Edge is really straightforward,” he explains. “You find functions where you would expect them to be, and a number of people here have even begun to use the program without any training whatsoever.”
The division uses Solid Edge for the design of all of its molding tools (casting, hot press, etc.). “It works incredibly well,” says Nothall. “We get good solids for CAM preparation.”
Increased use expands the payoff
The division has used Solid Edge for just over five years. It sees two primary advantages to the software: 1) the fact that it is easy to learn and use, and 2) its pricing.
These two advantages have made it possible to spread the use of Solid Edge throughout the organization. For example, initially Solid Edge was used primarily to design production equipment. As people discovered the benefits of working with Solid Edge, its use began to increase. In 2004 the division introduced Solid Edge into the entire technology chain (design and production technology and quality control), using it for design, production technology and drawings. “Because Solid Edge is so easy to use, everyone can participate in product development,” Nothall says. “The documentation for and communication about new products has also improved.”
By spreading Solid Edge throughout the organization, Gustavsberg Vårgårda Armatur has been reaping the benefits of the investment through increased productivity and improved quality. There is another benefit as well, one that is more difficult to measure but is important nonetheless. As Nothall explains, “There is a new kind of momentum in our design and preparation work now.”
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Challenges:
- Meet demand for products with efficient design process
Keys To Success:
- Replaced complicated design software with Solid Edge® software
- Solid Edge's pricing and ease of use allowed it to spread throughout the organization
- Accurate solid models increase accuracy of CAM operations
Results:
- Better documentation and communication about new products
- Increased productivity
- Improved quality
Industry:
- Consumer Products
Client's Primary Business:
Gustavsberg Vårgårda Armatur, a division of Gustavsberg AB, manufactures faucets, pipe fittings and valves.
Business Initiatives:
- Commonization & Re-use
- Production Efficiency
Solutions/Services:
- Solid Edge
- Velocity Series
Client Location:
Vårgårda
Sweden
"Solid Edge has clearly had a positive impact on productivity."
Lars Nothall
Technical Manager
Gustavsberg Vårgårda Armatur